Inverness Justice Centre

Inverness Justice Centre is a sheriff court and Justice of the Peace Court venue in Longman Road, Inverness, Scotland. It also includes the offices of the Procurator Fiscal.

Inverness Justice Centre
Inverness Justice Centre
Location	Longman Road, Inverness
Coordinates	57.4844°N 4.2231°W / 57.4844; -4.2231
Built	2020
Architect	Reiach and Hall Architects
Architectural style(s)	Moderist style
Shown in Inverness-shire

History

Until 2020, all sheriff court hearings took place at Inverness Castle.^[1][2] However, as the number of court cases in Inverness grew, it became necessary to commission a modern courthouse for criminal matters. The site selected by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service had previously been occupied by a bus depot on Longman Road,^[3] which had once been fronted by a row of terraced houses.^[4]

The new building was designed by Reiach and Hall Architects in the Moderist style, built by Robertson Group with support from Willmott Dixon in concrete and glass at a cost of £24 million^[5] and was officially opened on 30 March 2020.^[6][7][8]

The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage facing north towards Harbour Road. The frontage was formed by a long colonnade of square columns supporting a concrete frame. In the left hand section of five bays, the columns were canted forward from the longer right hand section of 30 bays, so creating a sheltered area for access to the building. Behind the columns the building was clad in sheet glass. Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate six courtrooms.^[9] The building was named Public Building of the Year in the Scottish Design Awards for 2021,^[10] and was awarded the Architectural Excellence Award (Public) in the Scottish Property Awards for 2021.^[11]

Notable court cases have included the trial and conviction of William MacDowell, in September 2022, for the murder of his lover, Renee MacRae, and their son, Andrew MacRae, in 1976: the case was heard by the High Court of Justiciary sitting in the Inverness Justice Centre.^[12][13][14]

References

1. Historic Environment Scotland. "Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, including Police Station and boundary wall, Castle Wynd, Castle Hill, Inverness (LB35166)". Retrieved 23 March 2023.
2. "The end of an era for Inverness Castle". Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
3. "Topping Out milestone marks Inverness Justice Centre progress". Highland Council. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
4. "Ordnance Survey Map". 1972. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
5. "Inverness Justice Centre". Scape. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
6. "Scotland's first purpose-built justice centre opens in Inverness". Ross-shire Journal. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
7. "Low key opening for Inverness Justice Centre". Urban Realm. 21 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
8. "Building study: Inverness Justice Centre by Reiach and Hall". Architects Journal. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
9. "New £23 million Inverness Justice Centre open". Press and Journal. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
10. "Inverness Justice Centre". Concrete Quarterly. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
11. "Inverness Justice Centre". NEC. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
12. "Renee MacRae: Man found guilty of killing lover and son in 1976". BBC News. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
13. "Renee and Andrew MacRae: Jury at High Court in Inverness considering their verdict". John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
14. "Man guilty of murdering secret lover and their son near Inverness in 1976". The Guardian. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.